A Letter To The Pastor
I know we have this beautiful Service coming up, but I just wanted to take a moment to read this letter I received … I think we all can get something from it …
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Dear Pastor's Chuck and Sunnie …
I know you two have been very busy with all the Special Services at this time of year and please know, your doing a wonderful job of it … However I was wondering if you might make the time to please read this to your Blessed Gathering this Sunday, as I really want to let them know how I feel on this particular subject … Thanks in advance …
It has come to my attention that many of you are upset that people are taking My Name out of the season … May I remind you that I wasn't really born at this time of the year to begin with and that it was early Church Fathers who simply chose to use this time of Pagan Feasting and Festival to celebrate it … Don't get me wrong, I do appreciate being remembered at this time or for that matter, anytime …
How does this Celebration make Me feel ??? That is probably best answered and understood by those of you who have been Blessed with Children of your own … As to what you call this remembrance, it matters not to Me … What does matter is this, if you want to Celebrate My birth, start by learning to get along with and Loving one another … If it bothers you that the town in which you live doesn't put up a scene depicting My Birth, why not simply place a small Nativity Scene in your yard ??? If all my followers where to do that, well there would be no need for one in the town square, now would there ??? They would be everywhere … Don't make such a fuss over whether it is a Christmas Tree or a Holiday Tree … Remember I made ALL Trees … Remember Me whenever you simply look at a tree … If you want something to decorate for the Holiday, how about a Grape Vine - I used that to describe our relationship to one another … And please, lighten up on the XMAS greeting … The idea of the X or Crossed Arms goes back to earliest of my followers who crossed themselves by making an X with their arms to show their loyalty to Me … Try to always remember my teaching about the speck and the timber …
Look, if you really want to give Me a present in Remembrance of My Birth, here is My “Wish List” for you to choose from … Please feel free to pick as many as you like …
1. Instead of writing letters of protest as to how my Birthday is being Celebrated, write letters of Love and Hope to soldiers who are far from home this season … They get terribly lonely and sad this time of year … I know, because they tell Me all the time …
2. Visit someone in a Nursing Home … You don't have to know them personally, they just have to know someone cares about them …
3. Instead of writing the President to complain about the wording on his Holiday Cards, write and tell him you will be Praying for him and his family this next year - and then remember to do it …
4. Instead of spending so much giving material Gifts this Holiday, share the story of My Birth with your children … Explain to them how much I love them and why I came to be among you …
5. Choose someone who has hurt you, who angers you and Forgive them this season …
6. Remember at least one person in your hometown will attempt and maybe succeed at taking their life this season, simply because they feel unloved and depressed … Since you can't possibly know who that will be, give everyone you meet a warm smile and friendly Greeting - Yours may be the one that makes the difference …
7. Instead of complaining that the store you shop at won't let the employees wish you a “Merry Christmas”, be patient and tolerant … Even if they can't say it to you, there is nothing preventing you from smiling and wishing them a Blessed Season …
8. Want to make a difference in this world ??? Try showing that YOU respect the Sabbath first … Stop shopping on Sundays and spend time with Me and your family … If all my followers where to do that, few if any retailers would even be open on Sundays …
9. And here is a really Good One … This Season there will be many in your town that will have little or nothing for Christmas … If you know them, then help them, but if you don't buy some things for them and give them to the Salvation Army or Network so they can be distributed to those who really need them …
Again I urge you to choose one or more of these Gift Ideas to honor Me this Season … Better still, keep these thoughts in motion all year long … The need for Love, Forgiveness and Healing knows no season, they are always in style … A long time ago I urged my followers to not curse the darkness, but rather to be the Light that shows the Way, my Way and therefore the Way of your Heavenly Parents … I am not just for the Christian, the Jew, the Black or the Yellow - Married, Divorced, Gay, Straight or Celibate … Rich or Poor, Powerful or virtually unknown, Young, old or in between - I AM FOR ALL OF MANKIND, Each and every one of you - My wish is for no one to be left out … If you wish to truly Celebrate what this Season tries to portray, let Your Light - My Message of Love, shine from within you all year long - let no one you meet ever forget they are a Child of my Father and as such, are much Loved …
Have a Blessing and Love filled Holiday … Know I Am Always with you …
Jeshua ben Joseph
Namaste'
